Healthcare Providers

Consumer communications

If you are community laboratory test orderer, specimen taker or community pharmacist, there is a responsibility to communicate to your patients the way information is shared.

In consultation with primary care groups and the privacy commissioner's office, TestSafe designed an approach for healthcare consumer communications that will work in with your busy schedule and provide you with various benefits. The package includes:

Message at the end of printed laboratory order forms (see "GPs", "PMS Set Up" on the menus above)

Message at the end of printed prescripion receipts (see"Pharmacists", "Policies & Procedures")

Posters for you to display Patient Information sheets for you to hand out to patients that have queries

A public 0800 number for patients to call, website.

The information you will need to provide to your patients when ordering tests will vary depending on the individual patient, the type of test involved and the patient's current knowledge of TestSafe. Clearly displaying posters in your surgery and providing the written information about TestSafe will help you meet legal and professional obligations.

In some cases only a brief additional discussion may be required with patients when ordering the tests to answer any questions they may have and to determine whether they wish to ‘Prevent TestSafe Sharing’. This means you will not need to spend valuable consulting time dealing with issues relating to the TestSafe changes.